Ensalada de Nopales
Ensalada de Nopales, or cactus salad, is an authentic Mexican side dish that features crisp nopales, tomatoes, onion, jalapeño, cilantro, lime juice, and queso panela for a quick and refreshing recipe that pairs well with any Mexican meal.
Ingredients
- 3 large nopales cactus paddles, (trimmed, cleaned, and diced)
- Water, (as needed)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, (divided)
- 2 Roma tomatoes, (diced)
- 1 jalapeño pepper, (seeded and diced)
- ½ medium white onion, (diced)
- 4 tablespoons lime juice ((about 2 limes))
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- 10 ounces queso panela, (cut into small cubes)
Instructions
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Add the diced cactus paddles, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and enough water to cover them completely in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.
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Drain the water from the nopales and rinse them under warm water to remove any excess slimy liquid.
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Transfer the cooked nopales into a separate bowl. Add the Roma tomatoes, jalapeño, onion, lime juice, remaining 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, cilantro, and queso panela.
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Lightly toss to combine all the ingredients. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to come together.
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Uncover and serve as a side dish or appetizer with tortilla chips.
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutritional values are estimates from the original source.